Pictures: Our Beaches—Sand, Sea, Serenity—Through Time

Share this gallery

Comment on this gallery

Pictures: Our Beaches—Sand, Sea, Serenity—Through Time

1 / 15

Flying High

The world over—from France to Australia, from Brazil to South Africa, from Florida to Hawaii and countless other areas—we are drawn to our magnificent beaches.

For many, the attraction is the sand, sea, and surf. For others, it’s the mesmerizing sounds of rhythmically crashing waves and the vast expanse of the seemingly endless horizon. Then there are the breathtaking morning sunrises and evening sunsets that are the definition of peace and serenity.

The archival picture above shows a German beach in 1928.

—E. Ray Walker, Photo Edit by Kathy Moran

Photograph by Wilhelm Tobien, National Geographic

Learning by Doing

In Japan, young students await swimming instruction from their teacher in 1927.

Photograph by Kiyoshi Sakamoto, National Geographic

Posing Pretty

Two Romanian swimmers relax in a concrete lodge in Bucharest in 1930.

Photograph by Wilhelm Tobien, National Geographic

Solar Health Care

Sun, sand, and sea just might be the cure for what ails you, or so promises a sign in St. Petersburg, Florida, in this 1929 picture.

Photograph by Clifton R. Adams, National Geographic

Surf City, Here We Come

Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, shown here in 1938, has long been a destination for surfers around the world.

Photograph by Richard Hewitt Stewart, National Geographic

Find Sun, Seek Shade

Sunscreen and an umbrella are necessities for the beachgoers in this 1939 picture.

Photograph by Willard Culver, National Geographic

Just Another Summer Day

Masses look for some personal space at Jones Beach in New York in this 1963 picture.

Photograph by Robert Sisson, National Geographic

Fun, Fun, Fun 101

College students on Spring Break take a respite from the rigors of higher education in Cancun, Mexico, in 2005.

Photograph by Jodi Cobb, National Geographic

Romance on the Sand

Beaches make idyllic settings for weddings, such as this one in 2010 on Kill Devil Hills Beach, North Carolina.

Photograph by David Alan Harvey, National Geographic

Having a Ball

Tourists in Sanya, Hainan, China, pictured here in 2006, have a unique way to enjoy the water and beach.

Photograph by Fritz Hoffmann, National Geographic

When in Paris ...

Paris has many attractions, but an oceanfront is not among them. Still, an artificial beach on the Seine River, pictured here in 2013, attracts sunseekers.

Photograph by William Albert Allard, National Geographic

Water, Water Everywhere

In Ocean Grove, New Jersey, swimmers enjoy the refreshing waves of the Atlantic Ocean.